


Rafael and Olivia's Adventures in Parenting

by StanfouQueen



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Babies, F/M, Family, Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-04-28
Updated: 2013-06-22
Packaged: 2017-12-09 18:59:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/776905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StanfouQueen/pseuds/StanfouQueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family." -Mother Teresa</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Before

**Author's Note:**

> I figured I owed everyone some major fluff after traumatizing you all with Fading Away yesterday. So, here it is! :) This will be a series of oneshots, ranging in length from a drabble to really long, showing Olivia and Rafael's baby (and later, older kid) adventures! :) I hope you all enjoy it! Please review!

Before this, before Olivia, Rafael had always had to set his alarm clock an hour before he needed to wake up simply because he ended up falling back asleep so many times.

Before, he had kept a coffeepot in his room, just so that he wouldn't have to walk to the kitchen to get it. He simply didn't _do_ mornings before coffee.

But now, he had Olivia. And now, he woke up with her curled up beside him, head on his shoulder, arms around his waist, top of her head resting just under his chin. Her rounded belly pressed against his side, reminding him of how much more their lives would be changing any day now.

So now, when Rafael woke up, instead of trying to fall asleep as quickly as he could to make the most of that one hour he had before he _had_ to wake up, he found himself looking at Olivia, listening to her breathe. Instead of reaching for the coffeepot, he reached for a glass of water, and then moved his free hand to caress Olivia's stomach, heart pounding with excitement every time he felt a kick.

He hadn't wanted a child at first. Babies were loud, messy, and demanding, three things he hated. But more than he hated babies, he loved seeing Olivia happy. And she'd been wanting a child of her own for so long. So he'd watched other couples with their infants and had tried to see if any sort of desire stirred up in him. None had. But eventually, he'd gotten himself to the point where he didn't hate the idea, which he figured was good enough, and so he had surprised Olivia one night.

They'd gone to their usual restaurant, unwinding from a long day at work over some good steak. Olivia had ordered some wine, and then, once their waiter had brought it and was out of earshot, Rafael had leaned forward.

"You might want to savor that," he'd said, sipping at his own glass.

"Why?" Olivia had replied.

He'd raised an eyebrow and said, lightly, "You might not be able to have any, soon. Well, unless you've decided you don't want to try for a baby after all, that is..."

Olivia had set her glass done, looking at him in shock. "You... you're serious?" she'd whispered. "You mean it?"

Rafael had turned serious, nodding. "I'll be honest- I'm going to need time to adjust. But... I want you to be happy. And, I think I might start to like the idea more as time goes on," he'd said.

And Olivia had given him a brilliant smile, leaning over the table and kissing him softly, then harder, hotter. He'd been breathless as she pulled away, both of them panting, looking at each other with desire clear in their eyes. They'd finished their wine quickly and had paid the tab and then left, cursing the traffic on the way to their apartment. They'd stumbled into the apartment and hadn't even bothered going to the bedroom, instead collapsing on the sofa and losing themselves in the passion. The sex had been hard and fast, but loving.

It had taken a few months of trying, but finally Olivia had came to him one day in his office while he was on his lunch break. She'd sat down in front of him, taken the coffee cup from his hands, and told him that it had finally worked, that he was going to be a father.

The pregnancy had been a whirl of emotions for them both. Rafael had gone from not feeling strongly one way or the other and only caring that Olivia wanted it, to feeling nervous and excited. The first ultrasound had made him think long and hard about his life, what it would be soon, and he had realized that he truly did want this. When he'd learned that they were having a girl, he'd immediately went out and bought a can of pink paint for the baby's room, had spent hours just walking in circles and trying to plan the layout for the furniture. And when Olivia had set his hand on her stomach and he'd felt the baby kick for the first time, his breath had been taken away.

Olivia had been ecstatic throughout the pregnancy, looking down at her stomach in wonder and delight, caressing it tenderly, often talking down to the baby inside. She wanted this more than anything else in the world, and watching her sheer joy always made Rafael smile in turn. He'd walk up to her, wrap his arms around her, whisper in her ear how beautiful she looked- because she did.

Now that she was officially on maternity leave, the two of them had more time together to plan and go out together. Rafael always tried to make her feel special and loved. At work, he was the same sarcastic, sassy man he'd always been, but at home, he let his soft side come out, not even hiding that he wanted to make her as happy and comfortable as possible.

Before Olivia, he would never have done that for anyone, except possibly his mother. But now, he had Olivia. Now, he had even started drinking significantly less coffee, just so that Olivia wouldn't have to feel left out since she was so strict about not having any caffeine while pregnant. No one before her would ever have made him consider it, no matter what they said, bribed or threatened him with. But he did it for her.

He moved his hand over Olivia's stomach, searching for where the baby's kicks would be landing. He finally found the spot and smiled at the steady rhythm under his hand. He let out a slow breath and closed his eyes, imagining what it would be like to hold her for the first time, to feed her, to rock her to sleep, singing softly as he nestled her against his shoulder. Even the thought of changing her diapers didn't detract from his excitement.

Olivia awoke beside him, stretching and reaching to kiss his cheek. "Mornin'," she yawned.

"Good morning," Rafael replied, kissing the top of her head. "Do you want to go back to sleep?"

"I'll wait until you leave for work," Olivia replied.

"Alright. I'll start breakfast," he said, easing Olivia off him and standing.

Before Olivia, Rafael had rarely bothered with breakfast. Sure, he loved eating, but not when his stomach, along with the rest of him, had barely woken up yet. Coffee sufficed well enough. But now his refrigerator was well-stocked with breakfast-y foods.

He pulled out a bottle of apple juice- orange seemed to give Olivia heartburn- and some eggs and cheese. He made Olivia a large omelet with two slices of toast, and for himself, he chose a raisin bagel, not feeling in the mood for something too hot.

Deciding to surprise Olivia- which he hadn't done often with anyone before her- he brought the plate and glass into the bedroom. "Here you go," he said, setting it in front of her on the bed.

"Thank you," Olivia said, beaming. She swallowed some apple juice and then kissed him deeply, wrapping one arm around his waist.

"I have to get ready," Rafael said, pulling away. "I'll be right back."

He showered, shaved, brushed his teeth, and then put his clothes on, choosing a deep purple tie with matching suspenders and socks. He pulled his shoes on, then returned to the bedroom, sitting on the bed besides Olivia and wrapping one arm around her shoulders.

"Ariana's loving this as much as I am," Olivia said, laughing. She grabbed Rafael's free hand and set it on her stomach, and Rafael felt her kicking hard.

"Doesn't that hurt?" Rafael asked, frowning.

"If she does it too hard, or if she hits something," Olivia admitted. "But usually, it's no problem."

Rafael nodded, and silence fell for a long moment. He looked down at Olivia's belly and sighed softly. "I can't wait to meet you, Ariana," he murmured, stroking over the spot where she was kicking.

Olivia leaned over and kissed him gently. "We've waited nine months. We can make it a few more days," she said encouragingly.

"I know," Rafael said, smiling and kissing her back. "I'm just excited."

Before Olivia, he would have felt embarrassed for showing his emotions like that.

"Well, I have to head out," Rafael said, sighing. He grabbed Olivia's empty plate and glass. "Have a nice day. Call me at lunch," he said, kissing her forehead, then her lips. Before Olivia, he hadn't been this gentle with... anyone, really.

He set the dishes in the sink, rinsed them, and then headed out the door with his briefcase. He stopped for a small coffee along the way, then came to his office and got to work. Olivia called at lunchtime, and they chatted as he ate a sandwich. Whenever he was needed, he headed to the courthouse and tried his cases, still as ferocious as ever.

He was in his office, consulting a law book to try and find a case he could use as precedent for an argument he was making, when his phone rang. "This is ADA Barba," he said without checking who it was.

"Rafael?" Olivia said nervously. "I'm in labor. And my water broke."

Rafael swallowed, mouth suddenly dry. "I'll be right there," he said, already standing and readying his things on the desk. "Have you called the doctor yet? How far apart are your contractions?"

"Every ten minutes, and they've been that way for two hours," Olivia said softly. "She told me to go ahead and go to the hospital."

"Alright. I'm on my way. Try to get everything ready," he said, heart pounding in his chest.

"Okay," Olivia said before hanging up.

Rafael gathered his things quickly and all but ran out of the building. He drove home, pushing the speed limit. Once he entered the apartment, he set his things down on the sofa, grabbed Olivia's bag, and then helped Olivia to her feet.

He wrapped an arm around her waist to support her as they walked to the elevator and watched her shift uncomfortably as another contraction hit.

 _Here we go,_ he thought, terrified but ecstatic.


	2. Finally Here

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This one is pretty short, but I think it says everything that needs to be said. Can't decide if the next chapter is going to be the things I cut from this one, or if it's going to stay with my original plan for chapter 3. We'll know when I get there! :)
> 
> Also, I know I haven't been updating a lot of my non-Barson stories. They've just taken over my muses lately. But don't worry, I'm going to return to my other stories soon! I promise not to abandon them!
> 
> Also, I have decided that Rafael and Ariana's song is going to be My Little Girl by Tim McGraw. Go listen to it if you haven't heard it before. :)
> 
> Hope you enjoy this! Reviews are always appreciated!

Hospitals, and especially maternity wards, were the only place where time could both move so quickly as to be a blur and seem so slow as to drag. One 15-minute interval would feel like a day; the next would feel like 15 seconds.

Getting Olivia admitted and settled into the room seemed to accelerate time, but after that, it started to drag. She paced uncomfortably to try and alleviate the pain from the contractions, one hand supporting her stomach and the other massaging her back as best she could. She bit her lip every so often, trying to keep herself quiet.

Rafael stood back to give her some space. At first he busied himself by calling his parents to tell them that Olivia was finally in labor, but he didn't know what to do once they had promised to be ready and ended the conversation. Once he no longer had any tasks to keep himself occupied, time started to slow again.

He winced sympathetically as Olivia leaned against the wall, clenching her jaw as another contraction hit. "That one was harder than the others," she said, hissing quietly.

"How much longer until you can get an epidural?" Rafael asked her softly. He hated seeing Olivia in pain for any reason, even the birth of their child.

"I'm at three centimeters, they said. So soon," Olivia grunted.

Rafael nodded, leaning back on the soft chair. Then he thought better of it and stood, figuring that it wasn't fair for him to sit while Olivia was so uncomfortable.

Realizing how thirsty he was, he told Olivia, "I'm going to get some water. Be back in a minute." He exited the room, taking in a deep breath. Nine months of waiting, and here he was, at last. Ariana was almost here. He could wait a few more hours, he told himself.

Or, at least, he _tried_ to tell himself. He didn't think he could do it. He felt impatient, and the thought of waiting any longer to meet their daughter felt like torture. He wanted to hear Ariana's first cry and rock her until she quieted, talking softly against the top of her head. He wanted to stroke the soft skin on her cheek and let her fist close around one finger, squeezing firmly.

It was still so strange to think that just nine months ago, he had hated babies, and now he felt like he was going crazy waiting for one. Ever since he had established himself as a lawyer, his parents had started hinting that he should start a family, and he always said that he might find someone one day, but didn't want kids and never would. But then Olivia had come along.

He entered the hospital waiting room and grabbed a paper cup, then walked to the ten-gallon container of water that was in the corner. He filled his cup and then took a few sips of water before heading back to Olivia's room.

If she could wait this long, he told himself, he could too.

* * *

Twelve hours later, Rafael was holding his breath and entering Olivia's room. They'd kicked him out for a few minutes as her labor had progressed, but now a nurse had finally told him Ariana was here, and he could go inside.

He remembered talking to his father right after Olivia had been admitted. Laughing, he had told Rafael, "New dads always end up thinking they're going to do the 'man thing', that they're just going to smile and hold it all in. But you're not. You're going to cry at some point. I did with you and your sisters and brother."

And Rafael had smiled and shook his head, wanting to retort but knowing it would prove true. He already loved Ariana so much.

"Hey," he called softly, walking to Olivia's bed. He felt surprised at how steady his voice was, considering that his heart was pounding in his chest.

He sat down next to her and kissed her forehead. "You feel okay?"

"Fine," she replied, pushing herself up.

Before either could say anything more, a nurse walked in, carrying a light pink bundle. She smiled at them and then came over, gently placing Ariana in Olivia's arms.

"Hi there, beautiful," Olivia whispered, stroking Ariana's forehead.

"How much does she weigh?" Rafael asked, setting his hand on Ariana's cheek, unable to believe this was real, unable to believe he was finally looking at his daughter.

"Six pounds, four ounces. A little on the light side, but healthy," Olivia replied. She looked over at Rafael, grinned, and then passed Ariana to him, repositioning his arms to help support her head.

 _So little,_ Rafael thought in awe. He swallowed hard, looking down at her, taking in her pink skin, soft blue eyes, bald head, and light frame. As he watched, she slid her left thumb into her mouth and then opened her eyes, gazing into his, but only for a moment before she returned her full attention to her thumb. She didn't seem to be especially interested in him, but considering she had just been born, Rafael figured she had a good reason for it.

He lifted her again, supporting her head, and held her closer, setting her forehead against his lips so he could talk softly to her. "Hi there, Ariana," he whispered. "How's the world treating you so far? I think you'll like it more once your mom and I get you home." He smiled and kissed the top of her head, then pulled back, looking at her again. He felt his eyes getting wet and knew his father had been right. There was no way he wasn't going to cry.

"Olivia..." he whispered, voice catching, barely able to find the words. "She's so beautiful."

"I know," Olivia said, smiling at him. "She is."

Another nurse came in the room, carrying a bottle. Olivia took it, and Rafael was about to hand Ariana over to her when she shook her head. "You do it."

"Are... are you sure?" he asked, brushing away the tears on his cheeks.

"There's going to be lots more over the next few months," Olivia said simply.

Rafael smiled at her, reaching out and taking the bottle from her hand. Then he glanced at Ariana and asked lightly, "You hungry yet, shrimpy?" He slid the bottle in front of her lips, and Ariana worked her mouth over it. At first she was clumsy as she tried to suck on it, but within a few minutes, she got better at it, steadily swallowing the formula. When she was done, Rafael picked her up, resting her head on his shoulder.

She felt so _perfect_ there. Rafael stroked her back gently and felt his eyes getting wet again.

There was no use in pretending she didn't already have him wrapped around her finger. He was already hopelessly in love.

He kissed her head just below her hat, then sang softly, "Happy birthday to you... Happy birthday to you... Happy birthday, dear Ariana... Happy Birthday to you!"

When he looked up, he saw that he wasn't the only one crying anymore. He leaned forward, kissed Olivia tenderly, and then set Ariana in her arms.

This wasn't what he would have wanted a year ago, but already, he couldn't imagine life without Ariana.


End file.
